The Cat who became the Snake
by SuccubusYuri
Summary: Poor Hinata, she never seems to learn her lesson! A story about the ever classic Rebound, and how it works, and how sometimes, it won't. Which is this? I'm not telling! KabuHina. Crying. Lots and lots of crying. Discontinued.
1. Chapter 1

Turning the corner, Hinata almost slipped, skidding to slow down, nearly missing the hallway she was aiming for. She caught herself and dashed down this new corridor, alarms blaring, ANBU agents mobilized. Things here were heating up. It was an intruder, here, in Konoha, and the memory of the Chunin exams where the Third Hokage had been killed were still fresh enough for everyone to be anxious about having detected a spy after this one. Hinata adjusted her new scroll vest, her reward for having passed the Chunin exams and proven herself in the eyes of the Fifth Hokage only two days ago.

Suddenly, a voice called out desperately, "Over here! Quick!" Hinata heard a few clangs of metal and some thumping from up ahead. Hinata activated her Byakugan, and tried to see around her in the area. She mentally smacked herself in the forehead, _Damnit, Neji would have done that from the start. _The Byakugan was a blood power, held only by the Hyuga clan. It allowed a person to focus on anything within a certain radius, giving almost a 360 degree visual radius, and through any material. It caused its bearers to have white pupils, and was incredibly useful in scouting and using techniques that required a delicate knowledge of inner-workings, such as in a bomb, or the human body. Hyuga medical ninja were naturally superior because of their ability to see inside a human body. Byakugan was said to be the blood ancestor of the famous Sharingan, another eye ability, of the Uchiha clan. Hinata turned another corner and nearly stumbled over the body of one of the ANBU squad. He was cut open pretty bad, his throat was slashed. It looked like the wound from a kunai. Hinata turned her attention several feet in front of her and saw a figure, slightly taller than herself, wiping blood off his kunai. He was wearing black, and his long silver-grayish hair was tied into a ponytail.

_Yakushi Kabuto..._ she thought to herself. "If you agree to come quietly," she said softly, "There won't have to be any fighting. I don't want to but I will if you refuse."

The Sound Jonin chuckled to himself, "Hyuga Hinata. As strong as you've become...you're still out of your league. I agree though," he snickered turning around. "I would hate to fight you. At the same time, even if I run," he raised his kunai, pointing it at her white eyes, "You still have that pesky jutsu to follow me. Something will have to be done. Maybe I should cut out your eyes?" he smirked arrogantly, trying to intimidate the girl.

Hinata scowled and got into a fighting stance, reaching a hand behind her, handling her kunai, narrowing her eyes a bit at Kabuto, but not saying anything.

Kabuto shrugged, and his left hand began to glow with chakra. "You know," he started, readying himself for another fight, "Out of respect, I should say I was impressed by your performance this year, that battle in the Chunin exam was spectacular. The strength of the Byakugan..." Kabuto stopped and shook his head, "Well, either way, it seems you were passed through. Quite an impressive feat. The remaining members of the old Rookie Nine were competing this year too, right? And even with a couple wins yourself." He paused, seemingly letting his guard down for a bit, "Quite a determination...I haven't seen that since Uzamaki Naruto. Especially your fight with Sakura. What a brilliant display." Hinata found herself blushing up her neck from the compliment, expression softening so slightly. Again she was overcome with the feeling of not wanting to fight. The Fifth Hokage said that was the strength she showed in her battles, finding ways to fight without killing, even in the face of lethal odds. She had said Hinata earned her new rank not only from her abilities and determination, but also because shinobi were lacking in a quality of pacifism, something she hoped Hinata would rub off on her colleagues. Hinata took a look around the immediate area, there were no other Konoha shinobi close by, nor were there any comrades of Kabuto around. It would be just him and her. Naruto had shared a few details of his fight with Kabuto with Hinata when they were part of the Konoha 11. Hinata couldn't deny she was afraid, glancing at him right now. He readied his guard again, "Are you sure there's no way to skip this?"

Hinata didn't say a word, watching him for the slightest movement. Noticing that Kabuto was reaching behind him, she lunged at him with her kunai in the dimly lit room. Kabuto easily blocked her arm, batting it away and impacting her in the chest with the full force of his empowered hand. Hinata gasped and fell back, stumbling and falling onto the floor. Kabuto rushed at her, trying to land a blow on her while she was on the ground. She backflipped away, resting on her hands like a handstand. Kabuto swung at her exposed back, overextending himself, expecting to land an easy blow. Hinata congratulated herself in her mind, Kabuto had fallen for the trick, the Byakugan allowed to her to observe all of Kabuto's movements, even the overextension of his ankle, how his arm was reaching all the way out. She reversed her flip, her feet crashing down on Kabuto's arm and nailing it to the floor, causing the Sound Jonin to fall to the ground entirely. Hinata swung her torso up, and pummeled at Kabuto's back with her Gentle Fist attack. Kabuto let out a yelp before swinging at her legs with his kunai, forcing her to leap away.

Kabuto struggled to his feet, muscles aching and torn from the Gentle Fist. "Damn jutsu...every inch..." he sighed and re-regulated the flow of chakra, healing the damaged muscles back to their full strength. Stretching his muscles, he rotated his head a bit, getting back into a battle stance, "Alright, shall we try again?"

Hinata took the lull to extend her Byakugan to its full radius, about 500 meters. Neji could do a full kilometer but she was still fuzzy on getting that much reach, though her range increased every day she practiced. Still no one headed for this building, they were all busy checking out other places in the abandoned district. So many shinobi died in the battle with the Sand and Sound villages, this portion of the city was mostly abandoned, ANBU and the other shinobi would be checking all of the buildings sooner or later. But they weren't getting close. She refocused on the surrounding ten meters and saw Kabuto's movements. He was eyeing the dead ANBU on the ground. She knew Kabuto possessed a powerful jutsu allowing him to animate corpses, but she knew this was still a dead body. She would have seen Kabuto breathing if he was posing as a dead body. However, that likely meant he was going to use this body, if he got close to it. Hinata shifted herself over to the left a meter or so and was now situated between Kabuto and the body. Hinata allowed herself a small, gloating grin.

Kabuto looked shocked. How did she...can those eyes even focus on my eye movements? That means she knows everything I'm going to do before I do it. Alright, I know, just be faster than her reaction time. Kabuto ran straight at Hinata as fast as he could, swinging at her with multiple blows. Hinata blocked the first few strikes but fell prey to the next two or three, which cut the muscles in her arm and chest. Kabuto backed away as she collapsed onto the floor, holding her sides with her one good arm. "Sorry, but I have to be off now," and he sped off as fast as his legs could carry him.

Hinata extended her Byakugan and noted that the ANBU was working their way eastward across the district, the majority of them were far away now. Kabuto emerged from the old storehouse he had battled Hinata in and looked around, noting the west wall was mostly empty. He ran off in that direction. Hinata struggled to lift herself up, trying to fight through the pain. She sped for the western watch tower as fast as she could. With her eyes she noticed Kabuto sparring off against a particularly strong ANBU, and severing his leg muscles and throat. The ANBU member fell to the ground, but was still breathing. Hinata wondered what Kabuto struck but she didn't know human anatomy that well to understand the difference between all the things in the throat. This distraction allowed Hinata to gain ground on Kabuto, but he was catching up fast. Hinata reached the now empty guard post, ready to grab the alarm to signal the shinobi over here. A kunai struck the wall inches from her face. Hinata looked down to see Kabuto there, his breathing somewhat labored. Her hand raised up to pull the signal, but she hesitated. Kabuto's eyes narrowed, his leg muscles tensing to jump up the wall and stop her. He ran at the wall, and leaping up on several of the imperfections in the rock wall, made it up to the landing and what he saw made him stop.

Hinata was standing there, the arm he had crippled hanging at her side, her good arm holding it in pain. She hadn't pulled the switch, for some reason. But neither had she hidden to set a trap for him. Short of an explanation for this bizzare action, he simply asked straight out, "What do you think you're doing?"

Hinata looked at the ground, her voice quiet and mousey, much as it was in the old days, "Well...you were the one who helped me, at the exams, three years ago...right?"

Kabuto looked confused, and thought back to those exams. Orochimaru had planned to destroy Konoha that year. Kabuto was glad that he had failed, in a sense. Konoha was his adoptive home, it was where he had met Uzamaki Naruto, a boy he both mocked, yet admired, being the host for Kyuubi. Kabuto wondered what it must be like to have the greatest of all the tailed beasts inside you, it was something that fascinated him. Was it like skitzophrenia? Did he and the Kyuubi talk to each other all the time? Did the Kyuubi wrestle his host? Were they friends?

Hinata took his silence as an invitation to explain, "Sakura told me...when I woke up. I remembered a bit too. The ANBU man in the cat mask. She said she didn't know what happened. But she told me that Kakashi and Guy had been there too. I wanted to thank that man properly. But, well, when I found out it had been you..." Hinata struggled against the blush that spread throughout her face now, "I wanted to say thanks!" she spurted out quickly, and then in a quieter tone, "That's all..."

Kabuto nodded in realization, "Yes, I remember you now."

Hinata continued, "And, well, I...I never got sick, since then, really. I guess I should thank you for that too?" Kabuto remained silent, not giving her any more feedback. Hinata deactivated her Byakugan. "Well, if you did that for me...you can't be all bad...right?"

Kabuto snorted, "Hmph, if you're thinking that letting me go will make me show mercy, I should advise you that you're sadly mistaken," he grabbed his kunai out of the wall, and got himself ready to kill the girl.

Hinata shook her head, "No, but...you helped me, I should help you...urgh!" Hinata felt her muscles tear from the dead weight of her arm and fell to her knees, letting her wrist rest painfully on the ground, giving her arm the support it needed from tearing apart and falling off. Kabuto looked scornfully down at the young Chunin. He knew what he did to her. He also knew the strain she must have put her body through in order to beat him here. And yet was it really just to say "thanks"? She looked up at him, tears welling up in her soft lavender/white eyes, "You should get going now...if you're going to, before I remember you're an enemy..."

Kabuto sheathed his kunai and hopped up on the outer wall to leave. He looked down at Hinata, who was trying to back up against the wall to rest. He looked away and sighed to himself, his expression softening. He leaped down off the wall and walked slowly over to the new Chunin and helped her back against the wall, "Here, let me see your arm." he whispered softly, his eyes looking very sorrowful and sympathetic. He used his chakra to feel inside her arm, and saw that the entire tricep had snapped clean off the bone. It was rolled up like a window shade inside her skin, the pain must have been excruciating. He slowly peeled the muscle back with his chakra, reconnecting the tendons and tissue that he had previously cut with his jutsu. Hinata squirmed, and let out a single tiny whimper, but otherwise remained still and strong. Moving his hand down her side he noticed some ribs out of place, and again, for an instant Hinata could have sworn she saw genuine concern in his eyes. His hand passed over her breast and she felt a little flustered at the entirety of the moment. Kabuto felt her heart race and tried to stifle a tiny grin as he sealed the bones of her ribs back to her sternum. Satisfied she was okay, he got up, and leaped back onto the wall. He let his lips convince him to smile broadly now, and softly spoke in his happy, boyish voice that she recognized from the first Chunin exam she had participated in, "Be well, Hinata-chan," before leaping from the wall and down to the forest floor, making his way back to Otogakure.

Hinata moved her arm around in a couple circles. Other than some residual soreness, she felt perfectly fine. She sighed, still a little flustered from her close encounter with the Sound Jonin. Hinata activated her Byakugan, and leaned out into the darkness, watching him escape into the night, her eyes just a little dreamy. As long as the Fifth didn't find out about this, no, make that anyone, she'd be fine. Besides, it felt a little nice to share a small secret with someone.


	2. Chapter 2

((**Author's note**: this story is picking up at chapter 356 of the manga, Kabuto's mention in the bar of "what i told you before" references one of his lines in the manga, taking place immediately before this scene, but it seemed such a dull point to pick up a time skip.))**  
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**2  
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"It started out as a simple infusion..." Kabuto said, raising his left arm, letting it fall free from the cloak he had been covering himself in, "But soon, Orochimaru-sama's cells began attacking my body, and tried to take over." Displaying his left arm, covered in snake scales, Kabuto looked to the three shinobi before him, letting his arm fall to his side, the white cloak falling back over it.

Yamato spat, "You're insane."

Hinata couldn't hide her look of sympathy, seeing Kabuto as he was, the left side of his face deformed, the eye bright yellow and snake like. But looking down his neck she saw the deformity seemingly extending below his neckline. _What is it like? _"Byakugan!" she whispered to herself, trying to stop a tear from welling up in her eye. _It's already taken over nearly a third of his body..._

"Part of me is doing everything it can to resist," Kabuto said, his voice growing more energized and enthusiastic as he spoke, sounding positively excited by what he was saying. He laughed, both amused, and a little afraid, "I can finally sense the part of me that strives to be better than Orochimaru-sama!"

Naruto scowled, "Hmph, then strive as much as you want in a Konoha prison!" as he rushed at Kabuto, throwing in a few punches. Yamato ran behind him and threw a punch, simultaneously Naruto sent a kick at him. However, the impact they met was just a log, Kabuto had vanished from beneath his robe.

Hinata, who had stayed back, saw the whole thing through her Byakugan, "Behind you!" she called out to her teammates. Naruto and Yamato looked to Kabuto, who was laughing maniacally.

"Hahahaha!" Naruto cursed. "When I am finally strong enough to control Orochimaru-sama's power," Kabuto spoke to them, his voice once again calm and controlled, "I'll return to fight you, Naruto-kun. But you're my secondary target." Kabuto narrowed his eyes a bit and scowled, "First I will have my revenge on Orochimaru-sama's murder, Sasuke-kun..." His lips then turned up in that boyish, friendly smile that was trademark of him, "Until we meet again," and he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto looked pissed, and Yamato just seemed a bit annoyed with it all. Hinata thought back a few months to when she had encountered Kabuto. How he had jumped off the wall, and walked over to her, seeming so tall and elegant at that moment. She didn't like to admit it to herself, but she had run that night over and over again in her mind. Fiddling with details of that moment when he healed her. Never too much, usually, just, a small thing here and there. Having him smile as he healed her arm and chest. Her having the courage to lean over, and kiss him on the cheek. Or even just having the assertiveness to grab his hand, before he left. Sometimes she'd bring him to her room, and hide him. The Fifth would come to visit her, not that the Fifth ever did in real life, but just to make things interesting. Sometimes he was genuinely hidden, other times comically waiting up on the cieling, right above her head. But those were only a few times, usually, she stuck to simple things, like maybe he'd turn and look at her before leaping from the wall. Maybe he would run back, and blow her a kiss, before dashing off again into the forest.

Those fantasies aside, he can't be blamed for wanting to avenge his former lord. And he did heal her twice now, even if it was he who injured her one of those times. But she was the one cornering him. He wasn't really evil, was he? Hinata extended her Byakugan but couldn't find anything, not at her maximum 600 meters. Then again she didn't know where to focus it, he could be anywhere hiding. She twirled with a strand of her long, blue hair, _Kabuto...san..._

However, quickly after this, an explosion bigger than anything ever seen before ripped open the forest. Later they found it was the work of an Akatsuki member, Hinata couldn't recall his name, but she knew Naruto had battled him when he and his team went to rescue Gaara. After searching for Sasuke, the team rested for the night. He had split his scent up into various paths, quite irritating really. They'd work on it in the morning. Hinata sat around with the rest of the team, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, and the others. She listened to them, but contributed to the conversation rarely. Her years of shyness had left their effect on her. While she could talk if she wanted, she didn't see much point in it. She had gotten along fine without socializing much, why is the future any different from the past? It was just, to tell Naruto...if she could manage that...

At some point Sakura went into a lengthy description of some of the fights from the last Chunin exams for Naruto, who had been off studying with Jiraiya-sama. Hinata, a little bored since she had been there, activated her Byakugan in order to distract herself. She noticed a few people wandering the streets this late at night, but one who was stationary across the street. She was a little curious about what he was doing, it was in the nature of a shy youngster to simply sit back and observe people. Sometimes desiring to be with them, sometimes just curious, but Hinata's Byakugan offered her the greatest extension of this behavior. She noticed the body, the left side seemed somehow...different. Her eyes widen, snapping at attention, her mind racing back to the afternoon. _Kabuto-san!_

Hinata looked to Naruto and the others, most were talking in small groups, Kikashi was off to the side, reading some new romance novel Hinata couldn't recognize. Shino and Kiba were whispering to each other a bit, though still around the circle with Naruto, Sakura and Hinata. Yamato was observing everyone else but mostly staring out the window. Hinata excused herself from the group, heading outside and down the street towards Kabuto. She focused on him with her Byakugan, he had snapped his head up and saw her almost the instant she had left their lodging, and was doing his best to remain inconspicuous. She smiled to herself triumphantly, _That won't hide you from me, Kabuto-san._

Hinata worked her way over to where Kabuto was sitting, and took a seat opposite of him. He looked up at her, his expression rather neutral, but his mouth was curved in a very tiny smile. He pulled the hood over his head a little more towards the center of his face, but then shrugged, knowing it didn't matter with this particular girl.

Hinata eyed him curiously, "Are you following us?"

Kabuto nodded slightly, "Yes, you're quite observant, Hinata-chan."

She turned her head a bit, keeping her eyes focused on him, deactivating her Byakugan, "What for?"

Kabuto looked up at her with a bemused expression, "Isn't it obvious? You're following Sasuke-kun, right? I want him as much as you do." Hinata looked a little worried at the suggestion. Kabuto's expression became a bit more tender, "I'm not interested in fighting Naruto-kun just yet. Not until I have controlled Orochimaru-sama's powers like he has controlled the Kyuubi. But to fight Sasuke-kun...that I wish to do as Yakushi Kabuto, servant of Orochimaru-sama, before I let his memory go, and his new existence into my life."

Hinata seemed a little relieved, but still anxious, "We are trying to get Sasuke back. You would have to fight Naruto if you were to try and kill Sasuke-kun..." she whispered, trailing off in a worried voice.

Kabuto shrugged, "If Naruto-kun will not let me do this honorably, I will fight if I absolutely have to."

Hinata looked up into his exposed, good eye, "You are preoccupied with honor and fairness...aren't you, Kabuto-san?" Kabuto smiled a bit, but didn't answer. Hinata blushed, and looked down at the table they were sitting at, "I...I am grateful you helped me...last time we saw each other."

It was Kabuto's turn to look down at the table, "I wasn't sent to Konohagakure to kill shinobi. I was only getting information on the results of the Chunin exam. Orochimaru-sama was very interested in who the new leaders of Otogakure's enemies would be," he let out a small chuckle, "Orochimaru-sama wasn't exactly welcome after he killed the Third Hokage...someone had to retrieve the information."

Hinata fought through her blush and looked at Kabuto's face. She was glad he wasn't looking at her still, otherwise she would have probably shot her eyes back down at the tabletop, "You've always been a spy, haven't you?"

Kabuto twirled the straw of his drink around a bit, and took a sip before replying, "More or less...I suppose it is odd for a medic-nin to be a spy, but it' always what I've done. Spy on villages, people, though Orochiaru-sama did use me as an ambassador on occaision."

Hinata found herself curious about Kabuto all of a sudden. She remembered when it was apparent he was a Jonin from Otogakure, how everyone felt betrayed by him. At the same time, no one really knew much about him. He was an enigma, and one she at least wanted to know more about. Though, she felt her fantasies pull her away and get the better of her, "And...healing me...those four years ago...was that something to help you disguise yourself?"

Kabuto finally looked at her, his eye seemed very sad to her. It was quiet for what seemed like a long while, and Hinata saw his lips move ever so subtly a few times, like he were trying to speak but was to hesitant to actually begin. Hinata knew the feeling all too well, she got the same way around Naruto, "You remember what I told you earlier today? How nations...villages...they all mean so little to me. How bonds don't exist to me..." Hinata felt her heart sink watching him, his eyes betrayed a deep sadness and longing she had once seen in Naruto's eyes when they were small children, and the same look in Gaara's eyes as well, as she recalled. Kabuto continued, "Well...to be honest...the Rookie Nine...you were the closest thing I had to friends...in a long time. I did..." he stopped, giving a quick exhale in amusement, "I do," he corrected himself, "still care about you all. It pains me to have to fight Sasuke-kun." He looked at his good hand for a while, then up at Hinata, "I have often wondered...what it would have been like...to have been friends with all of you. Genuinely, honest comrades..." his voice trailed off a bit at the end of this, and he sighed softly to himself.

Hinata looked at Kabuto now with a look of sadness, and sympathy for him. All this time...how old was he? Maybe 23? And he been alone for so long, his allegiance never staying in one spot. His life always changing, what was that like? To not feel like you belonged? Hinata often felt inferior to her comrades. She constantly fought her own self doubt, that she was holding Shino and Kiba back. But at the same time, she knew they liked her as much as she liked them, they were almost family to her. And even her estranged cousin Neji was now closer to her than ever before. But, to be like Kabuto, to not have a single friend? No wonder he served Orochimaru, he was the one person who had seemed to genuinely appreciate his abilities. Hinata knew Kabuto had been the second in command of Otogakure under the rogue Sanin, and though Orochimaru probably never liked Kabuto as a person, that might have been the closest thing to a friend he had.

Hinata looked down, and held her hand close to her heart, and softly spoke, "I would have been your friend...Kabuto-san...No one should go without a friend..."

Kabuto looked up now, his face no longer the cool, collected poker face he always wore, nor the happy little boy he was. Hinata saw a look of longing, of desperate need in his eyes, even the one that now looked like Orochimaru's. She felt tears well up in her eyes, looking at the missing-nin. Kabuto, for his part, just couldn't control himself. His emotions leaked from his face like water through a cloth, no matter how hard he held them back. Feeling his eyes burn, he let his restraints go, and through his eyes and lips and cheeks, bared his soul to this girl in a way he had never opened up to anyone in his life. His good hand, on the table, clenched into a fist, as he let a tear drop from his good eye and down his chin.

And like two lovers watching the sunset, Hinata was compelled to absorb Kabuto's face. To take in the moment, his face radiating a sad beauty she had never seen before. As if to make room for the beauty she was seeing, tears came down Hinata's face now as well. Her heart felt shattered, and though she shouldn't have, for some reason she too began to feel this pain from her enemy. The intense loneliness coursed throughout her body, causing every muscle to ache, to desire to be touched lovingly by someone, anyone. And with her comrade in this new, unprovoked lonliness sitting across from her, she felt the absolute need to feel him against her. Not for a romantic reason, but more to feel a safe form on her own skin, but touch wasn't enough, she wanted to feel her body touch, then melt into his, and he into her. It was an overhwhelming feeling of need, such a simple need, as to be loved. How this man had shown her, had compelled her heart to feel this way, with his face, was something she couldn't comprehend. She felt, rather than moved, her hand as it placed itself over Kabuto's clenched fist, embracing it, covering it, protecting it with her delicate hand.

Kabuto relaxed his fist, and loosened his fingers, which unconsciously moved to intertwine with hers. Their grip on each other's hand got firmer, and their palms came together. Kabuto felt a small, energy sensation. It wasn't chakra or anything, but it was...like a wire, running up his arm and across his body, from the delicate touch of Hinata's hand, and the supple, smooth skin against the battle-hardened roughness of his own. Their hands followed their momentum and moved up, so that when they came to rest, their entire forearms were connected, and their faces inches from each other.

Hinata was blushing, but she didn't feel awkward at all. She smiled, letting out a small chuckle, and looked down in between herself and Kabuto. Kabuto, also, leaned his head forward a bit, his forehead coming to rest against hers, and he let out a small sigh of happiness. He closed his eyes, and felt his neck relax, leaning forward to nuzzle the soft, blue haired head before him, his head moving up and down several times, a small whimper in his throat, only loud enough for her ears to pick up on.

Hinata took a firm grip on Kabuto's hand, and pulled it up, resting the back of his hand against her cheek. She nuzzled back, before letting go. She pulled her head away from him, "I really need to get back to Naruto and the others..." she said as she began to stand up.

"Wait," he insisted, reaching his hand back up, taking her face in his palm, looking into her eyes tenderly. Slowly, without removing his hand, he stood up, and leaned forward, giving her a gentle kiss on her soft lips. Hinata could feel her heart pounding in her chest, she was afraid Kabuto heard it as well. Her face hot from embarrassment, Hinata stood up and leaned forward into his kiss. She brought her hand up to hold his own, before finally backing away and giving him a slight bow, her body and voice running almost on automatic, "Um...goodnight...Kabuto-san..." before dashing out of the bar and into the street, before running into Kiba.

"Whoa! Hinata! Where were you? You've been gone a long time," he said, grabbing onto her shoulders. Kiba tried peering over his teammate into the bar she had just emerged from.

Hinata felt a small bit of fear, what if Kiba found out? But she turned around, and the table Kabuto had been at was empty, the single drink still sitting there. She looked back at Kiba, still blushing terribly, though she hoped out in the dark of night he wouldn't be able to tell, "Oh, well, I was just...um...getting a drink. I felt a little thirsty," she trailed off in her shy voice.

Kiba sniffed the air a few times, "Why do I..." he inhaled deeply, "Hmm...you haven't noticed anyone suspicious around have you?"

Hinata shook her head quickly, "No...why do you ask?"

Kiba scowled, looking irritated, "I smell Yakushi Kabuto...he must have been right here before..." he gave a curious look at Hinata before shrugging his shoulders and turning back to the inn, "Well, let's get back to the others, we're gonna move out in a couple hours."

Hinata quietly activated her Byakugan, scanning the area for Kabuto. But again, like before, he left no trace whatsoever.

For the first time in a few months, Hinata fell asleep with a huge grin on her face, and her dreams sprang to life with visions, hopes, and fantasies. And though she didn't think of it at the time, it was the first time she didn't try to sleep as close to Naruto as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

3

"Hinata-sensei? Hinaaaata-sensei?" a small child was pulling on her arm on a lazy afternoon. Their team had failed to resolve the problem with Sasuke or Itachi, and returning back to the village, the Fifth was giving them an ever so small reprieve before their next mission. One day of free time, and Hinata was spending it at the school, helping Hiruka-sensei with a class. Though it was over now and she was leaving with the children at the end of their school day.

Hinata looked down at the small arm tugging on her sleeve, "Oh, Tebi-chan, what is it?"

Tebi pulled away a bit and smiled shyly up at the young Chunin, "I was wondering if you'd show me your Byakugan? I've never seen it before!" she squealed like a fan before an idol.

Hinata smiled warmly and looked down, "Of course, but pay attention! This only happens once!" The little girl nodded her acknowledgment, and Hinata stood up tall, focusing on her technique, "Byakugan!" and suddenly everything became visible to her, her veins popping out around her eyes, and scouting everything at once. Tebi was looking up at her with awe, and Hinata was just inspecting some random things. A few birds were passing by overhead to the west, and there were people everywhere doing various activities. She looked out to the end of the street, and just took in note of where she was walking to. It was mostly empty, one or two students who were ahead of her and Tebi, but there was a cloaked figure nearby wandering around. Hinata thought it was familiar, and focused on it. She noticed that the body had an arm, and left side that seemed different from the rest. She felt her heart race in anticipation, and let out a small gasp, but upon further inspection, recognized the arm as a prosthesis, not a different body.

Tebi looked up with a confused expression on her tiny face, "Hinata-sensei?"

Hinata shook her head, deactivating her Byakugan and looking down at the girl, giving a reassuring smile, "Oh, don't worry, you don't have to call me that outside school, Tebi-chan. And I'm fine, don't worry."

Tebi nodded and they continued on their journey together down the street, chatting and joking some before going their seperate ways after a few blocks.

Later that night, Hinata went to bed early. They'd all be waking up extra early to head out after Jiraiya-sama. He went off scouting while they were still tracking Sasuke and hadn't returned. Fearing the worst, the Fifth Hogake had arranged their two platoon team to go after him and back Jiraiya-sama up. However, despite her best efforts to get rest, she simply couldn't sleep. She had been thinking about Kabuto the past few days. Now her fantasies came ever more and ever stronger, since that night where...she had to sometimes pinch herself to remember it wasn't a dream...where she had her first kiss. She turned onto her left shoulder, staring blankly at the wall. _Children always called my eyes soulless...is that what Kabuto saw in them the other night?_ She shook her head and turned her body around, so her feet and head switched places on the bed. _Why didn't I hug him? Why was I so afraid? Ugh, _why_ can't I be more assertive?! I _wanted_ to hold him, but I couldn't._ She flopped onto her back restless, now looking up at the ceiling, looking for any interesting patterns she hadn't found in all the other nights she spent here, but of course finding nothing she hadn't traced with her vision a thousand times before. Her eyes relaxed a bit, and she plopped her hands into her lap. _When will I see Kabuto-san again? _She sighed again, trying to untense all the muscles in her back. _I wish he were here right now..._ Hinata turned to her side again, rolling her blanket up like a rug, wrapping her legs around it and embracing it with her arms, _Kabuto-san...wouldn't you enjoy being here? Can you please spend the night with me? And can I call you Kabuto? _Hinata closed her eyes and smiled to herself, playing out in her imagination everything that she wanted to happen. _It's okay? Really? I'm glad...Kabuto..._ Hinata's smile broadened as she nuzzled into the blanket with her face, rubbing her hips against it, and tightening her arms around the rapidly compressing dummy-Kabuto. _You can spend the night in my arms, Kabuto...and tomorrow...you can have me in yours..._

_THUMP THUMP THUMP! _Hinata snapped to attention out of her fantasy by a loud pounding at her door. She hurried over to the door to open it, before she started blushing too much. She slowly opened it and was surprised to find her cousin, Neji there. He smiled and bowed to her slightly, "May I come in, Hinata?"

Hinata simply nodded, but felt herself blushing as she walked over and sat on her bed. Neji took a seat on the floor, staring at his cousin. Hinata simply wrapped herself up in her blanket, waiting for him to make the first move.

Neji looked around the room, "I'm sorry, were you trying to fall asleep?"

Hinata hesistated, but quickly blurted out, "Um, yeah, I was, but it's okay, I wasn't having much luck."

Neji looked at Hinata and gave her a warm look, "Kiba said you've been acting strangely, so I came to see for myself if you've changed beyond recognition."

Hinata's mouth dropped a little, and if she thought she was red before, she really felt embarrassed now. She hugged the blanket up to her chin in an effort to partially mask her face, "Oh, um, I don't, think so...no. Why did he think that?"

Neji shrugged, "He said you seemed much...how did he put it? More openly happy," Neji gave her a sly grin, "Were you glad to see Naruto-kun again?"

For the first time in the past three days Hinata felt shocked at herself. She had actually _forgotten_ about Naruto for the most part, ever since that night. She did her best to nod, but her neck tilted making the gesture seem awkward, "Uh, yes, I was really glad to see him." she mumbled quickly.

Neji smiled and walked over to her, and gave her a small hug, something she had told him she didn't mind. Her father would be outraged at such a contact between the Main and Side houses, but Hinata was different from her father in that respect. It was mostly what let Neji get over his childhood hatred of the Main house, that and a little metaphorical kick in the rear from Naruto. Though, ever proper, Neji broke the hug relatively quickly and gave her a small bow before leaving. As he opened the door, he turned his head back to his cousin, "You know...if you still feel so strongly about it...you should tell him." Neji smiled and shrugged, "You deserve to be happy is all, Hinata," and he walked out the door and off to his own business.

Hinata hugged her blanket for comfort, _happy..._ Hinata had long known that Naruto liked Sakura more than he liked her. Hell, everyone knew that. It was all she could do to keep from screaming when she thought about it. Sakura was loud, assertive, always in charge. Naruto was very much the same way. Though, he had always been alone when they were children, even more so than Hinata. She had always felt the need to protect Naruto. To alleviate his suffering. She tilted her head then, thinking about that point, _Though, between Sakura, and Jiraiya-sama, and Kikashi-san...does he even need me anymore?_ Hinata felt tears well up in her eyes as she suddenly felt very useless. Her evening started out with pleasant thoughts, but now all she could think of was how Naruto would never acknowledge her, real or imagined. Her head burrowed forward into the blanket, causing her long, dark hair to fall around her face. She couldn't keep herself from crying at the thought. She remembered several times when Sakura had looked at Naruto with such admiration, the same kind she herself felt. Did Sakura like Naruto back? If it were true then it was all over. In years past, Hinata had taken comfort in the fact that Sakura was infatuated with Sasuke, as were most of the girls her age. It was this comfort that let Hinata accept Naruto's feelings for Sakura. She wasn't actually a threat to herself and Naruto getting together. _But...with Sasuke-kun gone..._ Hinata shook her head "no". Things were so different now. How would that inevitable be avoided now? Neji knew about her feelings for Naruto, as did Kiba and Shino. In fact almost everyone the topic came up with seemed to know, so she was being obvious about it, right? She just couldn't seem to get him to take that next step, or to gauge him properly so she herself could act with more certainty. Wasn't it obvious? What more did she have to do? Maybe Naruto just didn't want to hurt her feelings...maybe he never would be interested.

_Is it...is it because I'm weak? Kurenai-sensei...Naruto...Neji...someone..._ Hinata gritted her teeth as she tried to stop herself from openly weeping, her chest now heaving from the exertion, _Anyone, tell me! _She curled up into a ball and rocked herself, crying herself to sleep that night, and she would for several nights following.

Each and every night she did, Hinata would blame Kabuto. Life had been easier when she didn't have to examine her heart.


	4. Chapter 4

((Author's note: I really, REALLY do apologize for leaving this story be for so long. To all those who left positive reviews, sent me mail, and subscribed to it (all in all about three times more interest than i'm used to) thanks for letting me know to come back to this.

I think you have to be in a special mindset to write romance. I haven't felt that way in about nine months (no i didn't get pregnant), life's been complicated, I'll leave it at that. I felt this was a good story. I wanted it to stay good. I hope the wait is worth it for you all. Baby I'm back! ))

**4**

Several weeks passed, and the world had changed dramatically. Battles which would only be described to future generations as "epic" had been fought. The Akatsuki hadn't been entirely destroyed, per se, but neither was it in the same position as before. All things were as they were before, questionable, unknown, and fearful. However, the good parts stayed as well. So many things had happened and yet nothing changed. Jiraiya-sama was dead, and Naruto...he wasn't the same. Every day he seemed more and more like Sasuke before he had left.

Hinata was walking down the street. She tugged on her black dress. The Fifth Hokage had declared there to be three days of mourning for the passing of, as she had put it, the "Greatest Sanin". All Hinata knew was Jiraiya-sama had been murdered by the Akatsuki. This was the third day of mourning, and while the villagers did their best to pay their respects to Jiraiya-sama, many were going about their lives more normally than previously.

Hinata tugged again on the hem of her dress, _I will at least pay my respects to Jiraiya-sama..._

She just happened to glance down the street at that moment and saw a figure moving towards her. His blonde hair gave him away. Hinata tried to smile, though even at best, she knew the attempt must have seemed weak, "Hello, Naruto."

Naruto glanced up at her with his eyes, head not moving, and then glanced back at the ground. He kept walking, his eyes sad, yet hard. Hinata watched him walk away in disbelief. Never, never in all these years had he just blown her off like that. She tried calling out to him again but only managed a whispered, "Naruto...?"

She kept watching as he went down the street, and turned a corner, presumably headed out of town, as the city gate was down that way. Hinata ran back to her home full speed, tears streaming down her face._ Naruto...Naruto how could you? I thought we...we were...weren't we at least friends? I just got over my doubts, too!_ Hinata's mind went back to her thoughts from a few weeks ago. It had been incredibly difficult to fight her inner nature, to fight the urge to give up on Naruto, but somehow, maybe out of habit, she had stuck to her dreams of being with Naruto one day. Naruto...maybe it really was hopeless. Otherwise she wouldn't have been blown off like that. Even when the Third died, Naruto was devastated. He admired all the Hokage, even the Fifth, though he probably wouldn't openly admit it around her. But even then, he was able to at least speak to her, even if it was in a depressed tone. Did looking at her count as saying "hello" now? No...Naruto was too loud and flamboyant for that. _He really could ignore me, he really could just forget I existed. And when Sakura and he..._ Hinata's stomach turned a couple times, just as she got into her room, flying past everyone who tried to say hello, or ask what was wrong.

After about an hour of trying to calm herself down and decide how to react, Hinata dried her tears and went to a mirror. She started combing her long, dark blue hair, trying to get it just perfect. If she were going to confront Naruto, she'd at least be presentable for him. This was it, do or die. And no way she would let anything stop her. She ran it through her mind. Yeah, she'd find Naruto somewhere quietly mourning the death of his mentor. She'd go up to him and wrap an arm around his shoulder. Then she'd comfort him, and lean in to kiss him on the cheek. Maybe he'd kiss her back...

Hinata shook her head. She knew the real thing would likely end up in her shying away a couple meters from him and whispering in that soft, shy voice she always used around him, long awkward silences, and her leaving without having accomplished anything much at all. But, it didn't matter the outcome, either way, she'd let him know how she felt! It was long time coming. This was it, if he would never return her feelings, then fine. Maybe she could deal with that. But it was no use to anyone to go on being an unknown to him like she had been all these years. Bound and determined, Hinata left her house, and calmly, though quickly, speed-walked to the main gate where Naruto had appeared to be headed. She hesitated, wondering if she should ask the sentries if they'd seen Naruto around, but everytime she took a step towards them she got butterflies in her stomach and started blushing.

_Byakugan!_ She finally resorted to her jutsu. _Okay, Naruto...where are you?_

She scanned around the village and checked the forested area within the walls of the city. The Fifth was still keeping Naruto penned inside the village, protected from Akatsuki, or what was left of it. Konoha had proven itself quite capable of dispatching its members, three so far. Four, if one counted Sasuke-kun still as a Konoha shinobi, after killing his brother, Itachi. But that seemed less and less likely as the days passed since he had killed his sensei, Orochimaru.

She noticed Naruto sitting in a small clearing. He had a rubber ball in his hands. He was just staring at it, like it was supposed to move, supposed to save him from the world. At the same time he seemed disappointed that it wasn't. Hinata slowly made her way through the trees, getting closer, taking purposefully slow steps. A short trip that could have taken her a few seconds was taking a couple minutes at her pace. Hinata almost forgot to deactivate her Byakugan, but did so now.

Her breathing was controlled, but her heart was pounding hard inside her chest. She got lost in her own thoughts, making final preparations to these first opening seconds of the conversation. How should she do it? Should she "stumble" upon him? Or just be upfront?

So lost in her own thoughts was she that when she finally emerged from them about 50 meters from Naruto, she almost didn't notice the figure in the large tree beside her. She looked up at the praying form of Kabuto in the treetops. Hinata let out a quick gasp, causing his eyes to snap open and focus on her, fully alert and ready. But on seeing who it was, his expression softened, and he simply nodded at the girl.

Suddenly an idea occurred to Hinata. Kabuto! He could give her the clarity she needed! He was a studier of minds and hearts, he might have insight into Naruto. She pointed over to the direction she came. Kabuto nodded again, and disappeared in that direction.

Doubling back another fifty meters, Hinata met up with the intruder, "Kabuto-san...why are you here?"

"Hinata-chan," he replied affectionately, like a master seeing his dog again for the first time in a week. He then sighed, "When I heard about Jiraya-sama's death, I came to pay my respects. And to offer a prayer to Naruto-kun." Kabuto looked back to Naruto, now barely visible through the foliage, and sighed, "I feel the death of a mentor Sannin as deeply as he feels his. It is like a part of your heart goes missing, without saying where it went..."

Hinata felt a little ripple of sympathy go through her person but shook her head, trying to stay focused on her objective. "Kabuto-san...could I..." she stopped, embarrassed to continue. Kabuto looked back at her questioningly, offering a nasal request for clarity. Hinata started to blush, "Well, could I ask a favor?"

The former Sound Jonin simply nodded, his eyes, or rather, the one that was still his, looked sympathetic.

Hinata fidgeted a bit, her body swaying nervously, "Um, I just...wanted to know...do you know how he feels...that is...how he might feel about me?" she rushed out the last few words, so much so that if he weren't paying close attention, Kabuto might have not heard them.

For better or worse though, the medical ninja was giving Hinata every bit of his attention, even so much so that he wasn't paying close attention enough to have noticed anyone sneaking up on him. Kabuto felt his heart sink a bit, but nodded, pulling out his cards.

Ever since he became a spy, Kabuto had always held onto his cards. They were a special type of card that could read chakra and memories could be implanted in them. They could decipher a person's relative strength, motives, element, and "remember" significant events in the subject's life that Kabuto was present for. Overall they were a very useful information gathering tool for long missions, such as his one in Konoha, allowing him to weed his mind of details of less importance, but that might still prove useful one day.

He shuffled through the deck, locating the card with Naruto's data on it. He pulled it out and ran his chakra through it, activating the memories stored inside. "Uzumaki Naruto...uncompromising...blunt...and always eager for a fight..." Kabuto sifted through a few bits of irrelevant data, "Relationships...he admires Uchiha Sasuke...to him that is the most important bond. He blames himself that Sasuke left Konoha and joined Orochimaru-sama..." Hinata winced when Kabuto said "Orochimaru-sama", she had hoped he would be less inclined to him after part of his body was lost to Orochimaru, but it would appear not.

Kabuto continued his analysis, "He also admires Haruno Sakura, and cares for her very much. His loyalty to her is unquestioned, despite his travels with the lecherous Jiraiya-sama, Naruto could barely find appreciation for beautiful women, but Sakura is always the flower in his eyes. He would die for her if the situation called for it." Hinata felt her heart expand slightly, giving out a huge rush of blood and needed energy, then totally implode. She could feel it shrinking into a tiny, twisted shade of its former self. Pain engulfed her chest, spreading to her breathing. She had known that was the truth but...hearing it from someone else, especially someone in a position to be called something of an "expert", was still more hurtful than anything she had imagined.

Kabuto paused a moment upon hearing the slightly labored breathing coming from the girl. He waited a few seconds and then continued, trying to divert her attention from that fact, but it had needed to be said for her own good, "He sees Kakashi-san and Jiraiya-sama in a similar light. Though Jiraiya-sama he sees almost as his father..." he glanced at Hinata, who looked like she would fall over from grief, but he kept on, getting more general now.

"He views his fellow Konoha-shinobi equally, as family...Hyuga Hinata..." he paused. Hinata now looked at him expectantly. Kabuto couldn't hide his look of pity. Hinata didn't seem to notice. It wasn't a bad assessment, per-se, but it was nothing that the Leaf Chunin was looking for. But still, it couldn't be helped, "Naruto sees you as a needy soul. He feels sympathetic towards your relationship with Neji, it is very similar to the one he shares with Sasuke. He believes that he can mentor you to be more outgoing, that maybe the other boys would notice you more if you weren't so quiet, and maybe you could find someone that makes you feel as inspired as he does with Sakura..." Kabuto felt his own sympathy at this moment, he even fought back a slight watering in his eye.

Hinata's expression was growing sour, jilted and dejected. She looked like she would either break someone's arm or break down crying. Her lips quivered and puckered a bit, her body screaming at her to cry, clawing desperately at her willpower to simply let go, but her mind telling her it would be improper. All she could picture in her mind was Naruto and Sakura in each others arms, over and over again. In a chair by candlelight. In the hot springs in their swimsuits. Cuddled up together on a bed. All variations on a theme. It pained her to think that way. Every new image in her mind broke down her happiness and clarity of thought a little more. But she couldn't help herself, she needed to think these things, she was compelled to. It was as if she kept looking through different windows, trying to find a future where Naruto would reject Sakura and that would let her walk in. But at each window, she found the same thing. She wanted to be happy that Naruto was happy but she couldn't. All she felt was her love and how it was being crushed against a stone wall, snapping, breaking, and being beaten into an aching pulp.

Then her love soured. Hatred came to join it, came to take it into itself. Not so that it was all hatred, no, but so that the two were coexisting as the same thing. She couldn't see straight anymore. She became only vaguely aware Kabuto was standing somewhere nearby as the hot tears in her eyes clouded her vision. She shut her eyes tight to block it out but still she could feel the burning tears leaking out and over her cheeks. They dripped down onto her dress, and just knowing she was crying made her sorrow more potent.

Kabuto put his cards away. He wanted to look away. He wanted to give Hinata some peace, but he couldn't. He had to watch her in pain, much in the same way she had to cause herself torment in her mind. This was true pain, and Kabuto was sharing it with her, despite the proper rules of society that dictated he give her her space. He wanted to share this burden. He, too, had felt loneliness. Hinata was, possibly for the first time, experiencing what it felt like to know your purpose was robbed from you. He quietly put away his cards and stood there as she started to break down.

And he still stood there, even as she leapt at him, her little fists beating against his chest as she sobbed into him. Her face rubbing back and forth against his robe, shaking her head "no". _It's not fair. It's not fair. It's not fair._ Hinata wanted to scream this at the world. But when she tried shouting, all that came out of her mouth were inhuman cries. It was like a wounded animal in the middle of the woods, calling for help that would never come, a long wail, and then several sobs as her chest heaved, trying to take in air. She sobbed and tried to hit harder but her muscles only grew weaker. Her chest heaving, she collapsed onto Kabuto, and felt his arms embrace her, even as she continued to assault him in her despair.

Kabuto couldn't honestly know what Hinata was trying to say. It was just a series of low moans to him, sputtering, and only pausing to take in a short breath before they started again. His eyes grew soft, even the snake-like one that was Orochimaru's, and he shut them to prevent himself from crying as he held her close, squeezing her delicate form against his own. Her words were unintelligible but they were probably the same words he shouted at the darkness in his mind. He squeezed her closer and buried his face in her hair, setting his lips softly on the top of her head, his own voice a little choked up.

"I know...I know."


End file.
